News Releases

Vermont Student Work in Financial Literacy Recognized by State Treasurer Pearce

Vermont students were challenged this school year to learn how to set financial goals, invest their money, and grow their investments. Today, State Treasurer Beth Pearce recognized their work in a State House ceremony that showcased student efforts in the Reading is an Investment program and Be Money Wise financial literacy poster competition. Both statewide programs are directed by the State Treasurer’s Office.

Pearce was joined by Governor Peter Shumlin who issued a proclamation declaring April as Financial Literacy month. The proclamation was presented to the Vermont Jump$tart Coalition. The non-profit group was recognized for their work in promoting youth financial literacy.

“All adults have a shared responsibility to ensure that Vermont’s children are financially literate,” said Pearce. “We need to make certain they have the skills to successfully navigate through an increasingly complex financial market. I appreciate the work of the parents, teachers and school librarians who have worked hard to help our students develop life-long skills in money management.”

Reading is an Investment is now in its third year and was used this year by 130 Vermont elementary schools and 30 public libraries. The program promotes both financial literacy and reading literacy through classroom and library instruction and through a personal reading program. Ten elementary school students were congratulated on winning $250 college savings accounts. The winners were selected through a random drawing from the more than 3,900 completed reading logs sent in by students throughout Vermont. Last year, 2,200 completed logs were submitted.

Students winning college savings accounts were: Tressia Allard, Browns River Middle School; Ariana Heist and Cristo Buckley, Central Elementary in Bellows Falls; Storm Dusablon and Connor Leclair, Founder’s Memorial School; Harmony Smith, Lunenburg School; Cheyenne Burke and Cooper Quinn, Mary Hogan School; Matthew Haskins, Middletown Springs Elementary; and Rylan Plattner, Swanton School. In addition, Orchard School in South Burlington received a 4-foot-tall teddy bear for their library from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company. The school’s name was drawn from among those schools that submitted completed reading logs from more than 25 percent of their K-6th grade enrollment.

The program is underwritten by the TD Bank Charitable Foundation and the Windham Foundation. Additional support also comes from Comcast, with all prizes donated by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation. Each fall, participating organizations receive three hard-backed books teaching money management lessons and a financial literacy curriculum guide. The 2012-2013 personal finance theme was investing and goal setting.

For the sixth year in a row, the State Treasurer’s Office, in partnership with the Vermont Bankers Association, has sponsored the Be Money Wise financial literacy poster competition. The contest is open to students in grades 3-12. The contest encourages adults to discuss the annual poster theme with students and provides a creative outlet for students to demonstrate their knowledge. The 2013 theme was, “I can grow my money by . . .” There were 383 posters entered this year.

Students placing first in each division received a $100 cash prize and their school a $100 cash award in recognition of their support for financial literacy. More information on the poster competition is available on the State Treasurer’s Office financial literacy web site at www.MoneyEd.Vermont.gov. Also viewable at this site are all lesson plans and activities for the Reading is an Investment program.

Source: Office of the State Treasurer
Last Updated at: April 12, 2013 07:19:05